Letters to the editor: Salute school board members

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Salute school board membersJanuary is School Board Recognition Month, a time to salute the work of our volunteer school board and to celebrate community-governed schools.

The role of our school board is to articulate our district’s vision, mission, and goals and to develop policies to achieve them. The school board encourages continuous improvement in student learning and advocates at the local, state, and federal levels in support of public education. Most critically, the school board makes decisions which affect our children: what they learn, who will teach them, who will support their learning and what kinds of facilities house their classrooms.

Because they are elected by us, the board of our community-governed schools makes decisions that are representative of our community’s values and priorities. Community-governed schools are directly accountable to the community because those whom we elect as school board members are our neighbors.

Showing appreciation for the important volunteer service of school board members should be a year-round process. Unfortunately, we often fail to take the time to express our gratitude for the dedication and hard work of these men and women who represent us. This January, I invite you to join me in thanking the members of our school board. It only takes a moment to express gratitude, by writing a note, sending an email, making a phone call or simply saying “thank you” when you see them in the community with you.

The men and women that you have elected to represent you in volunteer service as school board members are: Deborah Anderson, Carrie Beerer, Lisa Bradford, Gary Briggs, Jeff Brinker, Marty Cardamone and Michael Hartman.

I am grateful for each and every one of them and their service to our schools.

SHAWN LEWIS-LAKINSuperintendent

Royal Oak SchoolsRepublicans misuse power

The actions of the Michigan Republican Party lawmakers and Gov. Rick Snyder have been altogether despicable, shameful, divisive in intent and a complete misuse of political power. They have clearly forgotten for whom they work. They have disrespected the people they serve, made a complete mockery of the legislative process and purposely railroaded their Democratic colleagues on the other side of the aisle. This is disgraceful and un-American, and I’m tired of it all.

After watching from the Senate gallery recently and witnessing the tomfoolery that goes down in our State Capitol, I am unhappy to report that our Democratic leaders have to get up every morning to face an opposition that has the upper hand 100 percent of the time. They get up to fight for us every day only to be shot down.

This type of divisive politics has to stop. It is time to flip the script on this Republican attack on democracy. It’s time to take back our House and Senate. The Republican leaders clearly do not listen to the voices of the taxpayers. They must be stopped before they completely tear down what the labor movement built and before they further infringe on our civil rights. Where is the democracy? Democracy is government for and by the people. This is not what democracy should look like.

Each legislative session begins with an invocation, followed by the pledge of allegiance. Where exactly lies the allegiance of these Republican lawmakers? When exactly does liberty and justice for all come into play on their list of priorities? To whom exactly they are praying for guidance on how to properly and effectively carry out their duties? I question how these politicians can be so divisive if we are supposed to be indivisible. Our land needs healing, and it begins with humility.

KELLI N. WILLIAMSOak ParkMore taxes are on the way

Welcome to Royal Oak’s Christmas gift. Your winter tax bill just was raised 400 percent. Enough of you were intimidated by the commission’s fear campaign to raise taxes, so you voted for Proposal A.

You also have more taxes coming by voting for Proprosal B. Trusting politicians is risky behavior